Telephone-call indicator.



i a ATTOR Y B. L. BEHRENDT. TELEPHONE CALL INDICATOR. APPLICATION FILED FEB. 14, 1912.

1,050,514, Patented Jan. 14, 1913.

INVENTOR} WITNESSES:

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

BARNIM L. BEHRENDT, OF NEWARK, NEW JERSEY.

TELEPHONE-CALL INDICATOR.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, BARNIM L. BEHRENDT, a subject of the Emperor of Germany, residing at Newark, in the county of Essex and State of New Jersey, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Telephone- Call Indicators; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, and to figures of reference marked thereon, which form a part of this specification.

This invention relates to an indicator which is attached to a telephone signal, whether a hell or buzzer, and is normally in released position but which can be so set that it is released when the signal is sounded and indicates that central has called.

The invention is used when a person leaves a telephone and wishes to know, on returning, whether central has called or not. If the device is set, the indicator shows by its position whether central has called, and an inquiry will secure telephonic connection with the party previously calling. For instance, a doctor leaving his oifice unattended for a few moments, sets the indicator, and on returning finds that it has been released, he immediately calls up central and is put in communication with parties previously calling. This is conven ient for the subscribers and also makes work lighter for the central oliice, since the indicator removes the necessity of the long continued ringing of the bell which takes place when a party called up does not answer.

The invention consists in its preferred form of an indicator which is pivoted, the pivotal connection being so disposed that the free end of the indicator can be slid in between the vibrator and the bell of a telephone signal so that when the vibrator is operated it releases the indicator and the indicator drops, showing by its normal posi tion that the vibrator of the bell has been operated to ring the bell, therefore a call has been made.

The invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawing, in which Figure 1 is a face view of a telephone signal box with the indicator in its raised position. Fig. 2 is a section on line 2, in Fig. 1. Fig. 3 shows the indicator after it is dropped. Fig. 4 shows a modification.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed February 14, 1912.

Patented Jan. 14, 1913. Serial No. 677,584.

The indicator is adapted to be used on any of the usual forms of telephone call box 10, the call box having a signal bell 11, there being usually two signal bells with the vibrator 12 between them, the vibrator being mounted on a stem 13 and being normally held up against one of the bells, the descrip tion so far applying to the ordinary and usual construction of telephone signal. To the box I attach an indicator 14 which is usually made of sheet metal and is pivoted so as to be moved by gravity to its normal position. The manner of fastening the indicator 14 is by means of the perforation 15 provided with a staple 16, the staple being so disposed that the free end of the sig nal can be slid in between the bell and the vibrator.

When a call is sounded and the vibrator is operated, the indicator 14 is released and it drops down, being suspended as shown in Fig. 3. I prefer to provide the free end of the indicator, where it engages the vibrator, with a perforation 17 because in the usual form of signal a solid piece or plate slid between the vibrator and the bell will prevent the operation of the vibrator, but the perforation 1'? permits the vibration and insures the dropping of the indicator.

The preferred form of indicator is shown in the drawing, being of a substantially L-shape, the extension 18 acting as a handle to provide for placing the indicator in position, and also projecting from its position adjacent to the bell to show at a glance that it is still in place and also siderable surface for detection of its position when it is hanging as shown in Fig. 3. The device indicates by its position whether a call is sounded or not if it was previously slid. up into place before the person desiring the information has left, and it can be felt in the dark, indicating also by its position whether a call has sounded.

In Fig. 4 the indicator is made with the portion 19 arranged to swing on the staple 16 to bring the indicator from between the bell and the vibrator when the bell and its box are arranged so as to have the bell projecting from the upper side of the box.

The indicator can have a suitable legend or distinctive color, or it can ,be provided with advertising matter.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim is v 1. The combination of a telephone bell providing con and its illi-titer, with a, sta le, and an indicator ,iivoted at one end to the staple and, swinging itt'eel}; thereon, the indicator being so dispoaed that its free end can he slid be tween the bell. and Yiln'etoi te be held in raised position and allowed to drop when the vibrator is operated.

The eoinbiimtien of a telephone bell and its vibrator with a lint tmsha'ped sheet pivoted so as to freely swine on. one of its arms below the bell, the pivotal connection being; e0 disposed that the sheet can be slid and held ed e'ewise between the bell and the vibrator.

The combination of a telephone bell and its Vlbl'liOl, with a Hat eheet having one arm el :1 pivetzil connection said pivotal eonneetion FQUQDOl'tlllgj the sheet, said sheet being nee toirated :1: to receive the vibrator when t 1e sheet slid endwise between the hell and tie vibrato-1'.

Tin testimony, that I claim the foregoing i have hereni'ito set 111} hand this 19th day of lj ebi'ii(my 1912.

QLiQbt, the to receive M. it. JOHNSON.

implies eit flominiss'lonet' o1": latents 

